Although Kentucky law forbade dueling, mere legislation could not stop what some people considered the means for an insulted man to maintain his honor. The history of the commonwealth is replete with stories of wronged individuals issuing a challenge to their detractors.
Among the notable characters that participated in a duel on Kentucky soil was none other than Andrew Jackson. Never one to receive an insult without a stern reaction, he readily accepted a violent conclusion to an affair of honor. On May 30, 1806, Jackson, and attorney Charles Dickinson, both of Tennessee, chose Logan County, Kentucky as the site of their duel.
Why did two Tennesseans leave their state for Kentucky to settle their differences? The answer is simple. Both men were prominent in their state, and neither of them wanted to be culpable to the Tennessee authorities for participating in a duel. After all, Jackson, had a law practice, and had served as a judge of the Tennessee Court of Appeals, and as a congressman. He owned some 50,000 acres, and had great influence in both political, and economic matters in Tennessee.
Read Full Article »
